


Hold Me Too Tight.

by 360loverpenguin



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Nightmares, Post-Episode: s03e18-21 Sozin's Comet, Recovering from the final battle, Sozin's Comet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25060447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/360loverpenguin/pseuds/360loverpenguin
Summary: The torches seemed to flicker in time with his quickening pulse as he all but sprinted down the long hallway of the Fire Nation palace. Each second that passed sent a new fear through him. What if it hadn't been a dream? What if he really couldn't protect her? He just needed to see her, make sure she was okay.He roughly shoved the door aside, heart crashing against his ribs as his eyes landed on her sleeping form. Suki was okay. He could see the steady rise of her chest as she faintly snored, and Sokka didn't notice the tears that began to fall from his eyes, relief pouring over him. He drew in a breath, which came out as more of a shaky sob than he intended.
Relationships: Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 68





	Hold Me Too Tight.

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place the night after the final battle, when I imagine they stayed with Zuko at the palace. I really love how much you can feel Sokka and Suki's relationship, even in scenes that aren't exclusively romantic. I hope this fic lives up to that!!

Sokka shot awake, vision blurring as his heart pounded against his chest. His heartbeat slammed in his ears, lungs reaching for air as he fully woke up. He anxiously rubbed a hand against his eyes, willing the wisps of the nightmare to fall from them. His breath came in short spurts, each too shallow for his heart to slow. All around the dark room, memories of the dream swirled around him.

Not missing a beat, Sokka threw the blankets off him, hands shaking as he did so. He barely remembered to grab the crutch leaning next to the bed as he all but jumped out of it.

The dream was awful. And so grounded Sokka’s racing mind couldn’t recall if it had been true or not. It was right after the battle earlier that day. They had won, everyone’s faces blurry as they cheered, signalling Ozai’s defeat. He had limped over to Suki, immediately taking her in his arms as they came together. Both had tears streaming down their faces, of relief, of happiness, adrenaline still streaming through their veins.

And then her expression had turned stiff, and as Sokka stepped back slightly, still holding her in his arms… she disappeared. His arms grasped at air, eyes moving up to the full moon hanging above his head. He was sure the scream that had escaped him then had woken everyone else in the palace, but at the moment he didn't care.

He ran down the hallway, wincing every time his bandaged leg bared too much weight from his hurried steps. He didn't care. It didn't matter. His mind was focused on a million things other than the pain anyway, it felt more numb than it should’ve.

The torches seemed to flicker in time with his quickening pulse as he made his way down the long hallway of the Fire Nation palace. There seemed to be much more distance between their rooms than Sokka recalled, each second that passed before he arrived the large brass door sending a new fear through him. What if it hadn't been a dream? What if he really couldn't protect her? He just needed to see her, make sure she was okay.

He roughly shoved the door aside, heart crashing against his ribs as his eyes landed on her sleeping form. Suki was okay. He could see the steady rise of her chest as she faintly snored, and Sokka didn't notice the tears that began to fall from his eyes, relief pouring over him. He drew in a breath, which came out as more of a shaky sob than he intended.

Suki stirred at the sudden noise, light from the hallway spilling into the dimly lit room. She pulled herself up, rubbing at her eyes as the blurry image of her boyfriend at the berth of the room came into focus. “Sokka? What are you…” she trailed off as she noticed the tear stains still fresh from his red eyes.

She pushed the dark red blanket aside, immediately coming over to him, confusion dancing on her tired features.

“I’m sorry, I didn't mean to,” Sokka said, voice quiet as he failed to finish the sentence, mind still slowing from the earlier scare, the relief not fully set in.

Suki didn't give him a chance to try and finish the sentence as she pulled him into a tight hug, arms wrapping securely around him. He moved to bury his face in her shoulder, the tears breaking through all at once as the emotions set aside by his fear suddenly crashed over him. Sokka held her as tightly as he could, his form shaking as they stood at the edge of her room.

They stood there for a long time, Sokka’s tears finally slowing, leaving room for his breathing to slow until it was no longer echoing against the sleeping hallway. Suki didn’t say anything, didn’t move from the tight embrace until she felt Sokka tensely move away from the hug. His knuckles were pale as he took her hands in his, unable to move further away.

Suki cast a worried glance up at him, “Are you okay?” she asked softly, leaving the option to talk up to him.

His eyes were a much paler shade of blue, diluted from the stretch of tears as he took a shaky breath to prepare himself. “It was a nightmare, Suki.” His voice is softer than he means it to be, but he can't find himself to care, “I thought I… I thought I lost you, just like…”

He doesn't finish the sentence, but Suki does. “Like Yue,” she said, voice filled with understanding as she brought one of her hands up to cup his cheek.

Sokka squeezed his eyes shut as the name fell from her lips, nodding silently. “I cared about her a lot…” He took another quick breath, “but not like I love you. I… I can’t imagine what it’d feel like if that happened to you,” he said, voice thickening as he forced his eyes to remain shut. The air felt too dry in his throat as he finished, feeling Suki’s thumb brush a circle against his face.

Suki’s heart swelled, not only at the words of how much he cared for her, but at the sheer honesty of his tone. The fact that he didn't care if she saw him this way. “I’m right here,” she said, voice barely above a whisper.

Sokka pulled his eyes open, slowly breathing out. A small smile finally cracked his expression as he gently squeezed her hand.

She brought Sokka’s free hand up to her chest, pressing it against her heart. He felt the steady beat send waves through him that washed away the previous fear, causing his own pulse to move to match it. “I love you,” he breathed, tension releasing as he exhaled.

Suki smiled at that, nothing but compassion lingering in her eyes. “Do you want to stay here?”

Sokka nodded in response, smile not leaving his face as he kept their fingers intertwined.


End file.
